Just got my new Field

Long time OG user here and just got my Field today. I have to say, I’m blown away. Little background - I’ve released ambient material and performed extensively mostly exclusively using the OG. One thing that always bothered me was the fact I had to use external reverb pedals. This Mother reverb has just answered all my prayers. In addition to the other great stuff - the thing is a tank. Absolute premium quality. I always thought the OG was beautiful but in comparison the OG looks and feels quite flimsy for its hefty price tag. The field literally feels like you have a studio in your hands. Well impressed - would love to hear others thoughts

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Mine came today, just in time for me to leave for an appointment. Can’t wait to check it out!

It’s a great machine with a lot of potential. I’d like to see some advanced sequencers that can manipulate velocity, note length and note repeats all at the same time.

It would be great to even have an edit mode where the tape animation is shrunk or gone and you can edit the waveforms in more detail. Like reverse audio, Pitch audio up or down, Maybe some basic edit commands …. Like a mini daw.

1 effect per channel and audio line in with effect would be cool and a LFO designer.

If it had all those features they would sell a ton more. I do think the sequencer options are still too basic for pro users. I think that should be top priority. For a 2k device one should be able to make intricate stuff like a tracker or elektron stuff. Just make some really cool sequencers already!

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I agree it would be nice to have more than one effect.

But I have to say - judging by the rest of your wishlist I would question whether the OP1 is the right machine for you.

I literally own it because those features you mention don’t exist on it.

Limitations are what I think attracts most to the unit. It’s sort of - the whole point of tape emulation?!

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I do sometimes question if it’s right for me but I love the portability too much. I’m not asking for a full blown Elektron sequencer though. just some QOL improvements to the sequencers. They could easily make a new simple sequencer that could allow for manipulation of velocity, note length, and retrigs. IMO the whole point is to make music with the right kinds of limitations to allow for better artistic expression. The op1f is almost there.

But if elektron were to make something like a portable monomachine/octatrack the size of the op1 I would def choose that over the current op1f features.

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Love that idea! A portable octatrack sample mangling machine would be amazing.

If electron won’t do it, I can see Bastl instruments making something like that. They just need to combine some Microgrannies with Thyme and a sequencer.

Alternatively some more sample mangling and looping options on the op-z or an op-zf
(more parameters per track, more LFOs per track and multiple tape tracks) and you’d be there too.

I love this thing! I’m trying to wrap my head around whether i can play something (drums for example) over usb audio from the op-z to the op-1 f, but not record the drums to a track when I’m recording a synth sound (or whatever) that i play on the op-1. I’m thinking this might not be possible, but want to confirm I’m not mistaken. Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere.

I am not sure you can do that. It will record the OPZ as well

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Word, that’s what I figured based on OG-1 and the similar input settings in the field. It would be cool if there were an audio pass-through/bypass option so it doesn’t get recorded.

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Yes it would be cool. Never had the need for that but I can see the usefulness

I fully agree. The quality is top notch.
And Mother rules.

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Mother is the best reverb pedal ever!

I really think these people with huge wish lists like the above just don’t ‘get it’ with regards to the concept.

The OP1 yes - is expensive. But it’s the limitations that are special. Nobody is looking for a DAW in this thing, and if you are it ain’t the right machine for you

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Does anyone think that Mother will come to the op-z (or ob-4)? Has it got the fire power to work?
Folk tend to also rave about the nts-1 verbs…anyone care to compare the two?

Would love to know what Heymun thinks as she is the ReverbQueen.

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I still have my OG but won’t be upgrading. The OPZ with its amazing sequencer has been really inspiring to me, its so easy to come up with ideas that I can take into my DAW as audio and Midi files and finish. and I would love a field version.

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That’s what I said until I upgraded. Its honestly so so so much better than the OG

I can see that it is, being able to bounce down in stereo for instance… and also I think they have fixed the annoying clicks and pops? It sounds like a lot of the things I find frustrating they have fixed. Maybe one day when I’m feeling richer.

Oh yeah I totally get the cost. It’s a big outlay, but the OP1 hands down changed the way I thinking about making music. I see it as an investment. Good luck on your music making journey!

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I’ve had the OG for a short time 7 years ago. Back then, I didn’t click with it. I couldn’t get into the workflow, and found the overall sound a bit too lo-fi.

Now, being burnout, I don’t have the energy and patience for my modular stuff anymore. It’s too cognitively draining ATM.

Then my therapist said: you will never get out of the burnout if you don’t introduce fun activities into your day, energy-givers.

So I thought: music is still my passion, and always will be. But my modular is failing me. I needed something more instant and intuitive. More musical. (i.e. no need to tune oscillators, polyphony)
Switch on and go.
Somehow the Field came into my attention. I really didn’t know if I could justify it with that pricetag. But I could see its potential.

And boy, it is delivering. I’m having so much fun. It has a lot of limitations, but that is also its power. I don’t need to learn and remember all that much new interface, it’s intuitive and consistent.
You will just have to be creative. Which is exactly what music making is about and what makes me enjoy myself.
And it invites you to go ahead and commit, due to the workflow, to progress.

I’ve had instant fun sampling household stuff like I used to have. (like the funny sounds of compressing and extracting the airco hose)
No setup with mic’s required; run into a funny sound: grab the Field and go, it’s brilliant.

Of course, some design choices I really don’t understand, like making it stereo but hardly providing any stereo-movement options in the synths, FX and sequences. Does the delay have a pong mode? Don’t think so. Is LFO->pan the only option? Sacrificing the only LFO.
Or not having a “send” control for the reverb, so you can’t create a memory to momentarily send something to the reverb shortly. (which you CAN do with the delay, btw!) That would have been so powerful.
Oh well.

All in all, I love this machine.

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